If you are ready to stop using drugs altogether or hope to recover from drug addiction, it may be your time! Freedom from drug addiction will require you to work harder than ever, pray as you’ve never prayed before, meditate and trust something bigger than you. It will require getting uncomfortable, doing new things and staying dedicated. This may be your year, but only if you surrender.
How to stop using drugs? (Start by making a list)
There are natural methods to escape drug addiction and act essentially as an alternative to traditional drug addiction rehabilitation. For those with a broad desire to overcome addiction and the right tools, it is possible to recover from self-guided chemical dependency. However, trying to stop using drugs without any form of professional help can be extremely difficult.
The question that does not want to remain silent, about whether it is possible to get rid of drug addiction alone. Well then. it is not impossible, but it is more difficult than enrolling in a rehabilitation program. Here are some tips for anyone who plans to stop using drugs alone.
1. Be committed
Unless you are seriously committed to the task of ending your addiction, you will not succeed. Understand that it takes time to sober up and you need to be patient and motivated.
Your motivation can come from many things. For example, you want to rebuild your relationships with your spouse, children, or other family members. Consider creating a list of all the reasons that will motivate you to try your best to stay sober.
2. Work with an advisor
Even after you have decided to stop taking drugs, you will still need the help of experts to keep you motivated. That’s when it makes a lot of sense to consult an advisor.
Individual and group counseling can make a difference. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is especially beneficial in identifying what makes you turn to drugs. Talk to doctors and ask for referrals to help you find the best consultant for drug addicts.
3. Exercise regularly
When learning to stop using drugs, you simply cannot ignore the importance of exercising regularly. Your body and mind will be under stress when you are struggling to overcome drug addiction. Regular exercise helps to relieve stress and make you feel better about yourself. Consider joining a gym and working with a personal trainer to improve your health.
4. Create a plan
You need to change your lifestyle and find out what can tempt you to try drugs again. Making and following a drug-free life plan can help keep you on track. You must have a plan for dealing with discouragement and boredom.
It is equally important to determine how you will fulfill your responsibilities. Work on ideas to deal with different situations, such as social gatherings, stressful conversations, etc. When creating a plan, you should consider all aspects of your life, such as parents, relationships, work, interaction with others, fulfillment of obligations, etc.
5. Get support
You can make things a lot easier by finding the right support. You need support throughout the recovery process and it can come from friends, family or others. You can join support groups and listen to people who have managed to end their addiction.
Listening to the experiences and struggles of someone who has recovered from an addiction can be a great motivation. You need to think that if they won, so can you. An altered mindset is all you need to improve your chances of success.
6. Take care of your health
You need to plan your future and create a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. Pay attention to your diet. Eat nutritious meals and get plenty of rest.
If you have developed a health problem during active addiction, you may want to work with your doctor to resolve it. Feeling better physically will also improve your self-esteem and help you stop using drugs.
Taking care of your body will help you heal from the effects of your addiction, as well as your mind and spirit. For example, yoga, Reiki, meditation and similar activities can offer inner calm to practitioners.
Likewise, keeping your mind occupied through group activities, such as a group of books, is a smart strategy for managing your sobriety.
The more you move away from old drug-oriented activities and people, the more likely you are to succeed in your self-guided rehabilitation.
Recognize the dangers of detoxification
Before embarking on the road to recovery, you first overcome the obstacle that is the drug detox. Do the detoxification part of your recovery in a medical environment, with the support of trained professionals. This precaution will ensure that your withdrawal is not deadly and will allow you to begin a natural rehabilitation process.
The first 48 hours to seven days after giving up drugs will be the most difficult. The side effects of withdrawal can be bothersome, painful and dangerous to your health. During this period, the attempt at self-guided recovery is discouraged.
In a hospital setting, doctors can identify withdrawal stages and administer medications accordingly. This approach will protect you from painful and discouraging withdrawal symptoms.
Start your rehabilitation journey
After overcoming the dangers of drug withdrawal, you are ready to begin the rehabilitation process. Understand that, although you do not necessarily need to enroll in a program, you must still do all the work you would have done if you had undergone treatment.
It is critical that you start by identifying the root cause of your addiction. You may be using substances to escape reality, escape depression or anxiety, or deal with something from the past.
Keep your rehabilitation on track
It is incredibly important to maintain your daily discipline during self-guided rehabilitation, as you will have to act as your own addiction counselor. It will be up to you to set a schedule, keep your rehabilitation on track, mark your milestones and maintain sobriety.
This is another instance in which choosing to do recovery at home makes the process considerably more difficult. Your success depends solely on your own willpower.
Focus on your sobriety
The ability to leave drugs naturally and experience long-term recovery depends entirely on your own willpower and dedication to stay sober.
If you have any questions about your willpower or ability to stop using on your own, don’t take the risk. Ask family and close friends for help to keep you honest.
Living with someone you trust, preferably a sober individual, can help a lot if you don’t think you can live alone during this time.
If you do not have a support system available to guide you through every step of the recovery process, it is best to fight your addiction in a traditional rehab environment. After all, you won’t be able to count on friends and family in the same way that you can count on doctors and nurses who work in a rehabilitation center.
Don’t forget that help is available
It will be very difficult to stop using if you don’t understand why you started in the first place. If you believe the problem is related to a separate underlying mental health problem, it is imperative that you seek professional help to guide you through rehabilitation.
Co-occurring disorders are extremely difficult to be treated by fully trained professionals, let alone an individual undergoing self-guided rehabilitation at home.
Approaching your mental health through therapy or the right prescription medication, however, can allow you to end up facing the rehabilitation process on your own.
Final considerations
Unfortunately, changing your entire lifestyle can be difficult. The task of driving away longtime friends and avoiding areas known for drug use can be extremely difficult during the first few days of sobriety. Taking these steps is critical to the successful recovery of any kind.
Do not neglect the benefits of participating in professionally guided treatment. The process of moving away from unhealthy lifestyle habits and developing new responses to drug cravings is much easier to manage when performed with the help of addiction recovery professionals.
